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Magic Johnson ushered in the showtime era in the LA Lakers' history while playing with the NBA's all-time leading scorer. Their exciting run-and-gun style resulted in five NBA championships in nine years.
What many do not know is that Magic was a moniker dubbed on the 15-year-old after a 36-point, 16-rebound, and 16-assist triple-double performance in high school. Earvin "Magic" Johnson was an elite athlete from a young age and is rightly regarded as the best point guard of all time.
Although Magic Johnson had a successful career, it was cut short when he announced that he contracted HIV. We could say he already had a fulfilling career at the time, but you can't stop wondering what could have been if he stayed on the court a while longer. After a four-year absence, he attempted to make a return to the NBA but featured in only 32 games and had the lowest assists average of his career.
Regardless, Magic Johnson has several accolades to show for his exceptional talent, ranging from three regular-season MVP awards to three NBA Finals MVP awards to five NBA championships. Perhaps his most valued contribution is the overall assists tally. He led the league in assists in four of five seasons and ranks sixth on the NBA's all-time leaderboard.
Even as brilliant as Magic Johnson is, he could not have achieved all he did without help from other exciting talents. On that note, here are his top five teammates of all time.
On that note, let's take a look at Magic Johnson's top 5 teammates of all time.
#5 Kurt Rambis
The New York Knicks drafted Kurt Rambis in 1980 but waived him soon after. The Greek power forward returned home to play for AEK Athens before he was re-signed by the Knicks. Sadly, he did not feature in a single NBA game until he was signed by the LA Lakers in 1981 NBA free agency.
Rambis spent 9 of his 14 seasons with Magic Johnson and the Lakers, winning four championships during that period. He was always willing to get down and dirty, cleaning the board and protecting the paint while coming off the bench.
Magic Johnson and Rambis played a total of 579 games together, winning 429 of them. Of all the players on this list, they played the least number of games.
#4 Byron Scott
Byron Scott was selected as the 4th overall pick in the 1984 NBA draft by the Lakers, four years after Magic Johnson was signed. He was an instant beneficiary of Magic's no-look passes as he joined the Lakers at a time when Johnson was in his prime.
They played 710 games together and registered 529 wins. Of all Magic Johnson's top five teammates, their partnership recorded the best win percentage (.745).
Also Read: Who is Magic Johnson's wife, Cookie Johnson?
#3 James Worthy
The LA Lakers selected James Worthy with the first overall pick of the 1982 NBA draft, and the wing man was a perfect fit in the fast-paced Lakers showtime era led by Magic Johnson. The 6-9 small forward made an immediate impact in his rookie season, averaging 13.4 points and setting a rookie franchise record of 57.9 percent from the field.
Worthy's eyewear became a part of his uniform after he was scratched in the eye in a game against the Utah Jazz in his sophomore year. He wore protective glasses from then throughout his entire career. In his 12-year career where he played 794 games with Magic Johnson, he was a seven-time All-Star, three-time champion, and was the NBA Finals MVP in 1988. They combined for a win percentage of .739.
#2 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Magic Johnson was the perfect Robin for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in his early years. However, the roles were reversed when age caught up with the big man.
Abdul Jabbar's career highlights and awards are too many to mention. However, many feel he should have been awarded the 1980 NBA Finals MVP, which was given to Magic Johnson.
The then-rookie filled in for The Big Fella at the center in Game 6 of the 1980 NBA Finals and completely blew out the Philadelphia 76ers. For his valiance, Magic Johnson was rewarded with the MVP award.
Regardless, Magic Johnson and Abdul-Jabbar went on to win 616 games out of 842 played. They recorded the most success in the playoffs (70.1%), losing only 47 of 157 games played.
#1 Michael Cooper
Michael Cooper was a rotation player throughout his spell with the LA Lakers but was an elite perimeter defender in a Magic Johnson-led squad that was offensive-minded. Cooper was selected to eight All-Defensive teams and won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award in 1987.
Despite coming off the bench, he played the most games with Magic Johnson (937). For the eleven years they played together, he was not a huge contributor offensively but was an invaluable member of the LA Lakers team that won five NBA championships from 1980-1988.
Guess the Lakers players!
